Portuguese for Foreigners, level 1, 2009/2010, 1S

The Institute Camões is launching an online course entitled Portuguese for Foreigners, level 1. This course is coordinated by Fernanda Barrocas, Instituto Camões. The course will be totally delivered online, using a course management system as well as other useful software (see 6. below).

1 - Objectives

The main objective of this course is to give an opportunity to all those who want to learn Portuguese to do it online. In terms of the Common European Framework of Reference for Language Learning, it is expected that those taking part in it will achieve the A2 level.

2 - Participants

The course is aimed at those who want to learn Portuguese and have no prior knowledge of this language.

3 - Number of participants

20.

4 - Duration

The course will last for four months, beginning October 13. 2009.

5 - Details

The online course is structured around weekly blocks; learners will spend 8 hours a week on it, as follows:

1. Autonomous work:- Reading and listening to material related to a certain unit;- Doing exercises, both those included in the textbook and those placed online.

2. Work with the tutor:- Participation in chats;- 30-minute weekly oral interaction with the tutor;- Posts to forums about difficulties felt or specific points of interest to all participants.

Materials and instructions for their use will be will be placed weekly on the learning platform. Oral interaction sessions will be scheduled on a weekly basis. Every other week there will be formative mini-tests to solve, allowing the learners to identify their difficulties and the tutor to better cater for learners' needs. English will be used initially as communication language.

6 - Requirements

Candidates must have:- broadband Internet;- a multimedia computer;- headphones and a microphone or a headset;- Skype installed on their computers (free download at www.skype.com);- Português XXI, level 1, Student Book (textbook);- the respective exercise book and audio CD;- optionally, Gramática Activa 1, a grammar book.